Live-in care can be paid for in four ways, and plenty of families use more than one at once. This page explains each, who qualifies, and where to start.
Live-in care with Helping at Home starts at £1,800 a week for one person and £2,250 for a couple, VAT exempt. Our live-in care costs page explains what sits behind those figures.
1. Paying privately
Most live-in care in the UK is paid for privately, from savings, a pension, the sale of an asset, or by the family between them.
The one thing worth knowing early: the home you live in is normally disregarded in a local authority financial assessment while you continue to live in it. That is a meaningful difference from a permanent move into a care home, and it is the reason some families who assumed they would have to sell find they do not.
Care is exempt from VAT as a welfare service, so there is nothing to add to the weekly figure.
2. Local authority funding
Two stages, in this order.
The needs assessment decides what support is required. It is free, anyone can ask for one, and having savings does not disqualify you from having it. Ask your council’s adult social care team.
The financial assessment decides what you contribute. In England:
| Capital | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Above £23,250 | You pay the full cost |
| £14,250 to £23,250 | A sliding contribution |
| Below £14,250 | Capital disregarded, income still assessed |
In Nottinghamshire, adult social care is run by Nottinghamshire County Council everywhere except inside the Nottingham city boundary, where it is Nottingham City Council, a separate unitary authority. Families in West Bridgford, Arnold, Carlton and Beeston have Nottingham addresses but come under the county. Getting this right first time saves weeks.
Our local authority funding page goes into the detail.
3. NHS Continuing Healthcare
This is the one worth pursuing where needs are high, because it covers the entire cost of care and is not means-tested.
NHS Continuing Healthcare is for people whose needs are primarily health-related rather than social. It is assessed by the integrated care board rather than the council, usually through a checklist first and then a full multidisciplinary assessment.
Two things families get wrong:
- A diagnosis does not qualify anyone. Not dementia, not Parkinson’s, not cancer. The assessment looks at the nature, intensity, complexity and unpredictability of the needs, not the label.
- It is not a formality. The process is long, the paperwork is heavy, and decisions are frequently appealed. It is worth getting help, from a social worker, from Age UK, or from a specialist adviser.
Where it is awarded, the funding covers the agreed care in full. Our NHS Continuing Healthcare page explains the process.
4. Attendance Allowance
The most commonly missed money in social care.
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested. Savings do not matter, income does not matter, and it is not taxable. It is paid to people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision to stay safe.
| Rate | Weekly amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | £76.70 | Help needed during the day, or at night |
| Higher | £114.60 | Help needed both day and night |
That is up to roughly £5,960 a year towards care, and a great many people who would qualify never claim it, usually because they do not think of themselves as needing “attendance”. Our Attendance Allowance page explains how to claim.
Claiming it can also unlock other entitlements, so it is worth doing even where the amount alone would not change the decision.
Direct payments: taking control of council funding
If the council agrees to fund part of your care, you can usually take that money as a direct payment and arrange the care yourself, including choosing your own provider rather than accepting whoever the council has commissioned.
For live-in care this matters, because council frameworks do not always include live-in providers. A direct payment can be the difference between the care you want and the care that happens to be on a list. Our direct payments page covers how it works.
Putting the routes together
A typical live-in arrangement might combine several:
- Attendance Allowance at £114.60 a week, claimed regardless of savings
- A local authority contribution, if capital is below £23,250
- The remainder paid privately
- Or, where health needs dominate, NHS Continuing Healthcare covering the lot
There is no single right combination, and the mix changes as needs change. Reviews matter, because someone whose needs rise may become eligible for something they were turned down for a year ago.
Where to start this week
- Ask the council for a needs assessment. Free, and not dependent on your savings.
- Check Attendance Allowance. If help is needed day and night, apply.
- If health needs are high, ask about an NHS Continuing Healthcare checklist. A GP, district nurse or hospital discharge team can start it.
- Get a written care quote so you know the actual number you are funding, not an average from a website.
We will give you that figure at a free assessment, with no obligation attached. Our costs and funding hub covers home care funding more broadly, and our live-in care page explains the service itself.
Call 01636 646915 or request a care assessment.
This page explains how funding generally works. It is not financial advice, and your own position may differ, so take specialist advice before making a decision that turns on money.
